Shedding Light on Retinoscopy

There are a few tests that you may have noticed during an eye exam and asked yourself how they work. Having beams of light shined into your eyes could be an example. Firstly, this test is known as a retinoscopy examination, which is a preliminary way to measure the refractive error of your eye. Whether you're near or farsighted, or you have astigmatism, examining the way light reflects off your retina is a way your eye doctor is able to see if you need eyeglasses.

How well your eyes are able to focus under the circumstance we create during the exam is the most important thing we look for. We shine light into your eye because we are looking for what we call your red reflex. The retinoscope aims light into your eye, and a red or orange light reflects through your pupil and off your retina. The angle at which the light refracts off your retina, also called your focal length, is exactly what tells us how well your eye can focus. And if it's apparent that you aren't focusing correctly, that's where the lenses come in. We hold a few prescription lenses in front of your eye to determine which one fixes your vision. That lens power is the prescription you will need to rectify your sight with glasses or contact lenses.

Your eye doctor will run your exam in a dark or dimmed room. To make your eyes easier to examine, you'll generally be instructed to focus on something behind the doctor. Because a retinoscopy exam doesn't involve any eye charts, it's also a particularly useful way to determine an accurate prescription for kids who might struggle with speech, or others who might be speech-impaired.

We are OPEN for you!

Our top priority has always and continues to be the health and safety of our patients and staff. We are extremely committed to providing you with the safest and most dependable eye care service possible, even during this challenging time.

For the Protection of our patients and staff extra safety measures are being taken including:

Limited Appointment Scheduling - in order to ensure we are able to properly disinfect and adhere to Social Distancing Guidelines set forth by our local authority. Certainly, urgent and emergency patients will be prioritized.

Fever Free Environment - Temperatures will be taken upon entering the clinic of all patients. Anyone with 99.5 degrees or higher will be asked to reschedule. Anyone who is taking a fever-reducing medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen will be asked to reschedule once the medication is clear from their system so we can be sure of an accurate temperature reading.

Pre-Screening Questionnaire - We will continue to ask any patient with URI symptoms to reschedule their appointment until they have been asymptomatic for 3 days or have a negative COVID test.

Face Covering - We are requiring everyone entering our clinics to wear some type of facial covering such as a homemade mask, scarf, bandana, or handkerchief.

Wash hands and sanitize - Upon entering our clinic, everyone will be asked to sanitize their hands. Additionally, we will request they sanitize their hands before re-entering the business area.

All TSO staff with direct patient contact will be required to wear a mask.

Increase cleaning and sanitation of our frames, exam equipment, an all high-traffic areas before and after every patient.

Social Distancing - We are limiting the number of patients in our office and are asking, when possible, only the patient enters our clinics for their visit. Please ask the person with your patient to stay in their car. We can text them if they need their assistance.

We are continuing to help people see the important things in life, even during these difficult times for all of us.